In March, a UEFA report discovered that Chelsea‘s squad on the finish of the 2024 monetary yr was the costliest ever by way of switch charges. Not the most important shock, proper? Particularly when you think about that, since being taken over by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in the summertime of 2022, the Blues have signed 41 gamers throughout six switch home windows at a mixed switch value of €1.6 billion.
Most of this cash has been spent to usher in among the world’s high younger gamers on lengthy contracts — comparable to Moisés Caicedo (€116m, Brighton), Romeo Lavia (€62.1m, Southampton) and Cole Palmer (€47m, Manchester Metropolis) — however there are additionally a number of gamers who’ve solely made a handful of first-team appearances, together with Lesley Ugochukwu (€27m, Rennes), Mathis Amougou (€15m, Saint-Étienne), Deivid Washington (€16m, Santos) and Renato Veiga (€14m, FC Basel).
So with that quantity of gamers on the books, you would possibly suppose Chelsea’s spending would decelerate. However you’ll be unsuitable.
No less than SEVEN kids will land at Stamford Bridge within the summers of 2025 and 2026, after they agreed transfers, and but extra might observe. This is a have a look at some gamers Chelsea would possibly wish to goal, plus some important details about those that have dedicated their futures to the membership already.
Switch information taken from Transfermarkt.
What gamers ought to they signal subsequent?
Franco Mastantuono, 17, AM, River Plate
The River Plate prodigy went viral final week as his opened the scoring within the Superclásico vs. Boca Juniors with a surprising direct “Banana” free kick. Although the left-footed Mastantuono shares some similarities with incoming Chelsea gamers Estêvão and Kendry Páez — an obsessive dribbler with obscene pure means — the Argentina U20 worldwide tends to return deeper and extra centrally, showing extra within the mildew of a basic No. 10.
As current historical past has taught us, related technical profiles to these already within the squad does not essentially delay Chelsea. So, with Mastantuono turning 18 in the midst of August, count on a switch battle to signal him for his reported €45m launch clause within the subsequent window as Actual Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Inter Milan are all maintaining tabs on him.
Ayyoub Bouaddi, 17, CM, Lille
Bouaddi shouldn’t be but an undisputed common for Lille, however he has made a reputation for himself this season and stood out within the membership’s spectacular UEFA Champions League marketing campaign. The France U21 worldwide is arguably greatest as a box-to-box No. 8 midfielder however can carry out in a deeper function and even tucked in behind the centre-forward.
An excellent passer and dribbler, Bouaddi is at all times seeking to get on the ball and isn’t afraid of taking duty for inventive strikes regardless of his younger age. He’s additionally sturdy on the defensive aspect of the sport, successful again possession by the use of tackles (4.15 per 90 minutes) or duels (5.5 profitable per 90 minutes). Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig have been linked with a €30m transfer for him, however he cannot depart till January 2026 on the earliest.
Konstantinos Karetsas, 17, AM, Racing Genk
Karetsas was fast-tracked into the primary workforce at Genk following the departure of Bilal El Khannouss to Leicester Metropolis and the 2 are pretty related in fashion, although Karetas maybe has a good increased ceiling. Certainly, he instantly discovered himself at house within the Belgian Professional League, competing for a beginning spot earlier than he turned 17 in November, and lately modified worldwide allegiance to Greece just some months after making his U21 debut for Belgium, the nation of his start.
Karetsas is a inventive playmaker and proficient dribbler who thrives within the central house between the defensive strains and has registered 2.5 key passes per 90 minutes this season. Although he is solely scored thrice, that return is prone to develop has he shoots effectively along with his left foot. His abilities have already drawn consideration from among the elite European golf equipment (together with Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Man United and Newcastle) and his switch would possibly fetch a charge north of the €25m that Leicester spent to signal El Khannouss.
Chris Rigg, 17, CM, Sunderland
A yr in the past, Rigg was the topic of nice curiosity as his contract was about to run out. In the long run, he determined to signal a three-year deal, but when fourth-placed Sunderland fail to achieve promotion to the Premier League through the playoffs on the finish of the season the race for the England U19 midfielder can be again on.
Rigg, who normally options as a box-to-box No. 8 or a No. 10 behind striker, has a singular set of skills: on one hand he is a inventive midfielder, wonderful at discovering house between the strains and delivering a killer go, whereas on the opposite he possesses the tenacity, dynamism and work-rate of a basic defensive midfielder. And that has not gone unnoticed from the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Everton.
Saba Kharebashvili, 16, LB/LWB, Dinamo Tbilisi
Concentrating on kids from Georgia would possibly sound unique, however Chelsea have already confirmed their willingness to solid their eyes far afield as you will see under. Dinamo Tbilisi have a long-standing observe report of nurturing elite expertise — PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili are two current examples, plus Newcastle-bound 17-year-old striker Vakhtang Salia — makes it a doubtlessly rewarding place to search for the subsequent technology.
Kharebashvili has been part of the primary workforce set-up at Dinamo for over a yr and has been a starter because the age of 15. Although in a position to fill roles in central midfield, the Georgia U19 worldwide has settled into the left-back function and has excelled along with his wonderful angle, regular defensive shows, progressive passing and an attacking mindset that sees him produce well-executed crosses and cut-backs. Originating from outdoors the EU, Kharebashvili will not qualify for a global transfer earlier than January 2027, however he won’t be wanting suitors.
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Will Chelsea’s youth switch coverage lastly work?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Chelsea signing Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo from Sporting in offers price as much as $81 million.
Who’ve they signed already?
Chelsea have already got a crop of younger gamers arriving from all over the world, however you might not know very a lot about them.
For instance, Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos signed from Vasco da Gama for €21m in 2023 however has been on mortgage again at Vasco, Nottingham Forest (the place he made just one look) and was then at Chelsea’s feeder membership Strasbourg final season. He might effectively contend for a first-team place however in the meantime, Aaron Anselmino (€16.5m, Boca Juniors), Omari Kellyman (€22.5m, Aston Villa) and Caleb Wiley (€10.5m, Atlanta United) have but to make a first-team look.
The membership have spent some vital money forward of the subsequent two seasons already and whereas among the under could by no means put on a Chelsea shirt, spending their complete time on mortgage earlier than shifting elsewhere, this is what it is advisable to learn about them anyway.
Arriving in 2025
Estêvão, 18, FW, Palmeiras – €34m
Having featured in additional than 70 first-team video games for Palmeiras — with 4 senior caps for Brazil — Estêvão is already past a participant of potential and grabbed nineteenth spot on this yr’s 39 U21 rating regardless of his age. Certainly, he’s thought of by {many professional} scouts as a future world-class celebrity.
A proper winger, he has excellent one-vs.-one skills — with intuitive turns and high-velocity take-ons — in addition to sensible ball-striking along with his left foot and a pure understanding of the place to search out house. Whereas there are points to work on, specifically his urgent and talent to make an influence all through the sport, however his pure mobility and aptitude ought to make him an thrilling watch.
Prospects of first-team soccer subsequent season? Excessive. He’s too thrilling a participant to mortgage out and his first-team expertise in Brazil ought to see him able to make begins within the Premier League.
Dário Essugo, 20, CM, Sporting CP – €22.2m
The arrival of Essugo went beneath the radar because it was hooked up to the signing of wing-back Geovany Quenda in a €74m double deal. Essugo has struggled for minutes at Sporting, so has been on mortgage at Las Palmas this season, however some will recall him changing into the youngest Portuguese participant to characteristic within the Champions League when he made a late cameo towards Ajax in December 2021 (at 16 years and 268 days.)
Predominantly a defensive midfielder, the Portugal U21 worldwide excels at recovering the ball, plugging gaps in midfield, monitoring attacking runs and urgent duties. He additionally likes to deal with — maybe excessively in order he is picked up two crimson playing cards for Las Palmas because the flip of the yr.
Prospects of first-team soccer subsequent season? Slim. A mortgage transfer seems probably given what number of midfielders the membership have.
Kendry Páez, 18, AM, Independiente del Valle – €10m
Páez has been on the radar of the highest European golf equipment because the age of 12. He scored on his skilled debut for Independiente del Valle on the age of 15 and amassed 17 worldwide senior caps for Ecuador earlier than turning 18 – a report that has surpassed Diego Maradona’s for Argentina and is just behind Spain‘s Lamine Yamal worldwide.
Chelsea formally agreed a deal to signal him two years in the past, when he was 16, and since then Páez has continued to impress. Thought of by many scouts as a generational expertise, his repute shouldn’t be far off that of Estêvão and the 2 are related in fashion as effectively. Páez is a left-footed attacking midfielder with excellent dribbling abilities who enjoys showcasing his speedy adjustments of route, daring, playful feints and tips aplenty. He prefers to obtain the ball within the house between the defence and midfield, both centrally or barely to the proper, and loves to check the goalkeeper with pictures from distance.
Prospects of first-team soccer subsequent season? Slim. Provided that his profile is comparatively much like Estêvão, a mortgage transfer is most certainly.
Mike Penders, 19, GK, Genk – €20m
Signed on the tail finish of final summer time’s switch window, Penders joins Chelsea’s ample roster of eight first-team goalkeepers (Robert Sánchez, Filip Jörgensen, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Lucas Bergstrom, Eddie Seaside, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Gaga Slonina) in July. The Belgium U19 worldwide can have loads of competitors however is rated extremely on the scouting scene and his 6-foot-7 dimension and worldwide allegiance has drawn inevitable comparisons to Actual Madrid No. 1 Thibaut Courtois.
Penders has made a tremendous impression in his debut season as a semi-regular for Genk, displaying dependable distribution, good reflexes and being fast off his line to snuff out hazard. Given his dimension, his lack of mobility in sure areas must be compensated with skilled positioning and game-reading appreciation, although his brief passing is a piece in progress.
Prospects of first-team soccer subsequent season? Potential. Sanchez and Jörgensen have not coated themselves in glory this season, so coach Enzo Maresca is perhaps tempted to offer Penders early alternatives if he can show his passing is as much as scratch.
Arriving in 2026
Geovany Quenda, 17, RB/RW, Sporting CP – €52.1m
Whereas he is nonetheless awaiting his senior cap for Portugal, Quenda is taken into account as one of many high U18 skills on the earth and the Blues did effectively to signal him from beneath the noses of Manchester United. A pure winger, along with his essential strengths coming within the attacking part, the Portugal U21 worldwide has shone in an unfamiliar wing-back function on the proper for Sporting. However no matter the place he performs, his trademark skills do not change a lot: relentless dribbling in huge areas, the willingness to tackle opponents, and eagerness to arrange mixture passes along with his teammates as he progresses into the field.
Denner, 17, LB, Corinthians – €10m
Denner was picked up by Chelsea following promising shows at youth stage for membership and nation and can be part of from Corinthians when he turns 18 in 2026. Arguably one of many least-known prospects signed by the West London aspect since their quest to safe the subsequent crop of world expertise took maintain, Denner has a repute as a strong-running, tenacious left-back with an unrelenting attacking intuition.
Destan Satpaev, 16, ST, Kairat Almaty – €2.4m
An aggressive, explosive, sturdy and all-action middle ahead, Satpaev first stirred pleasure amongst scouts following some promising shows within the UEFA Youth League. He shoots exceptionally effectively with both foot and appears to thrive on objectives, as all good strikers ought to. This season he is discovered the online six occasions from 5 begins for Kairat within the Kazakh league and have become the youngest-ever debutant for Kazakhstan (at 16 years, 7 months, 10 days) within the World Cup qualifiers in March. Although he performs in a relatively weak league, his early influence has been nothing wanting jaw-dropping.
